Periodontopathogens <i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> and <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> and Their Roles in the Progression of Respiratory Diseases

The intricate interplay between oral microbiota and the human host extends beyond the confines of the oral cavity, profoundly impacting the general health status. Both periodontal diseases and respiratory diseases show high prevalence worldwide and have a marked influence on the quality of life for the patients. Accumulating studies are establishing a compelling association between periodontal diseases and respiratory diseases. Here, in this review, we specifically focus on the key periodontal pathogenic bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum and dissect their roles in the onset and course of respiratory diseases, mainly pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and asthma. The mechanistic underpinnings and molecular processes on how P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum contribute to the progression of related respiratory diseases are further summarized and analyzed, including: induction of mucus hypersecretion and chronic airway inflammation; cytotoxic effects to disrupt the morphology and function of respiratory epithelial cells; synergistic pathogenic effects with respiratory pathogens like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. By delving into the complex relationship to periodontal diseases and periodontopathogens, this review helps unearth novel insights into the etiopathogenesis of respiratory diseases and inspires the development of potential therapeutic avenues and preventive strategies

CuO Nanosheets Prepared by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Microplasma as Catalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

A method for constructing transition metal catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is proposed. Facile preparation is realized in the case of no added metal source via dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) microplasma under 10 min, and the thickness of the nanosheet is only 6.5 nm. The prepared ultrathin CuO nanosheets on copper foam (CuO UTNS/CF) display a catalytic activity of 262 mV overpotential (η) at 10 mA cm–2 for the OER in alkaline media. The as-prepared electrocatalyst guarantees appealing long-term durability (>90 h) and a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 0.488 mol O2 s–1 at 426 mV. Compared to CuO/CF prepared traditionally, the overpotential of CuO UTNS/CF can be directly reduced to 38 mV. Moreover, hydroxyl radicals (•OH) were identified as the intermediate products and a possible synthesis mechanism was preliminarily put forward. As a facile technology for the OER catalyst, we believe that DBD microplasma will provide a broad perspective for researchers